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 Students in 7th grade science on their Meaningful Watershed Educational Experience
Franklin Community,
This week began with students returning from a four-day weekend—and adjusting to the time change that came with it! While everyone may still be settling back into the routine, it’s been nice to enjoy a little extra daylight during arrival time each morning. We’ll take the sunshine while it lasts as we know that soon enough it will still be dark at 7:00am each day!
Speaking of arrival, as I have shared over the past several weeks, all secondary schools are implementing a weapons detection system as part of FCPS’s ongoing commitment to layered safety and security. After several weeks of preparation—including student presentations, practice sessions, and gradual rollouts—we are ready to begin full implementation on Monday, November 10. Our phase-in has gone very smoothly, and today we were able to get nearly all students into the building within 10 minutes of the doors opening! The gates were still turned off but students took all of the same steps that they will once we turn them on. We appreciate everyone’s cooperation and patience as we’ve refined our procedures. Please remind your student to be prepared by removing any prohibited items from their bag before entering. Thank you for your continued support in keeping our school safe and welcoming for all.
This week, our 7th grade students participated in the Meaningful Watershed Educational Experience (MWEE) field trip, a hands-on opportunity to explore and understand how watersheds function right here in our own community along the Cub Run stream. A different 7th grade team attended each day from Wednesday through Friday, and we’re proud to share that our students represented Franklin wonderfully—showing curiosity, respect, and engagement throughout the experience. We were also fortunate to have great weather to make the learning even more enjoyable! A huge thank you to our science teachers for their thoughtful planning and preparation, and to all of the teachers and parent volunteers who helped make the trip such a success.
While schools will be closed on Tuesday in observance of Veterans Day, we will take time on Wednesday to recognize and honor those who have served in our armed forces. During Advisory, students will participate in a Veterans Day lesson to learn more about the significance of the holiday and the sacrifices made by our nation’s veterans. As part of the activity, students will write letters of appreciation to veterans, which will be collected and sent to an organization that distributes them to service members across the country. We extend our sincere thanks to all veterans in our community and beyond for their service and dedication.
Lastly, over the past two weeks, we have seen an uptick in the use of racial language among students, and we are taking intentional steps to address this issue through education and dialogue. This week, 7th graders participated in town hall meetings with Ms. Lombardi to review expectations, discuss the impact of words, and ask questions in a supportive setting. Our 8th graders took part in an Advisory lesson focused on the power of language and the importance of fostering an inclusive community. We ask for your continued partnership at home in reinforcing these conversations and helping students understand the lasting impact of their words. As a school, we remain committed to creating a safe, respectful, and welcoming environment for all students and will continue providing learning opportunities to support that goal.
Tom DeRusso
Principal
Franklin Middle School
Weekly CARE Card Raffle Winners
~Important Dates~
November 10 - Report Cards Sent Home
November 11 - Veterans Day - School & Office Closed
November 26-28 - Thanksgiving Break - School & Office Closed
December 2 - Picture Retakes
~Action Items~
📸School Pictures Ready to View
School pictures are ready!
To order, log in to your account on mylifetouch.com or create an account using your student's student ID number.
All families can also log on and order a FREE Digital SmileSafe card.
More about the Smilesafe program here.
✅ Return Your Federal Impact Aid Survey
FCPS is asking all families to fill out a Federal Impact Aid Survey. The form is available in SIS ParentVUE under Online Packets, which is in the upper right corner of the screen after logging in. Please complete it as soon as possible. We will provide paper forms to families who have not completed the survey in ParentVUE starting Wednesday, November 12.
Completing this form for each school-aged child in every household is important. This year, FCPS expects to receive approximately $4 million in Impact Aid funding. These funds are used to support all Fairfax County public schools and centers.
For more information, visit the Federal Impact Aid Survey page.
Register for ParentVUE
Learn how to activate your SISParentVUE account, so you can easily submit your survey and have access to other helpful information about your child.
Technical support for using ParentVUE or submitting the survey online is available by submitting a Parent Support Request ticket. Select SISParent in the Application dropdown menu and type “Federal Impact Aid Survey” in the Issue Description section. You may also call the Parent Technology Help Desk at 833-921-3277 (833-921-FCPS).
FMS Food Drive
As we enter the month of Thanksgiving, Franklin is joining together to sponsor its very own food drive to support the efforts of Food for Neighbors. From November 10th through December 5th students can drop off individually packed food items (List of Items Accepted) to their advisory teacher. Items will be collected during every advisory and a running count will be posted each day on the bulletin board near the cafeteria. The team collecting the most number of items will win extra recess. Thank you to everyone for your generosity and good luck to all teams!
WHEN: November 10th through December 5th
WHERE to BRING ITEMS: Advisory Teacher
WHAT ITEMS are ACCEPTED: CLICK HERE
WHY?: Share with others and spread joy in our community
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📔Yearbook Orders
Pre-order your 2025-2026 Franklin Yearbook! Orders are open between now and April 13. No late orders will be accepted.
To order, visit yearbookordercenter.com and use order number 5330, or use the QR code provided on the attached flyer.
Don't miss out!
☑️Register To Volunteer
All parents must register before volunteering for a school event. At Franklin Middle School, our volunteers are a vital part of our school community. We deeply value the time and care they give to our students.
Recent updates to our volunteer process focus on one primary goal: keeping students safe.
These updates — such as checks against the sex offender registry and, in some cases, criminal background checks — are safety measures that will help us maintain a secure and supportive learning environment for every student in our care.
We encourage all our parents and community members interested in supporting our students by volunteering at school to visit Volunteer FCPS, click “Learn More,” and then “Sign Up.” After you create a profile, you will view an orientation video and complete a volunteer application.
Volunteer FCPS ensures a safe, consistent, and welcoming environment at all of our schools. All volunteers must be registered in Volunteer FCPS. This includes individuals who volunteer to chaperone on field trips, work at book fairs, and help out regularly in classrooms, libraries, or cafeterias. Volunteers who work unsupervised with students will also be required to undergo a background check.
We understand these changes may seem disruptive, especially for long-time volunteers. Our intent is to ensure that our students feel safe and supported with each and every person they encounter at school.
As a reminder, all volunteers — and visitors to a school — are required to sign in by scanning their ID at our visitor kiosk. Visit the Volunteer FCPS Frequently Asked Questions page to learn more.
Volunteer Registration Update
Due to the overwhelming response from our community, FCPS is temporarily pausing fingerprint requirements for most Level 3 volunteers.
If you are scheduled for an upcoming fingerprinting appointment, please cancel your appointment unless you are a mentor, host parent, or non-parent volunteer having frequent, direct, and unsupervised contact with students, which will still require fingerprinting. FCPS will be charged if individuals miss a fingerprinting appointment without canceling in advance.
Those who have already been fingerprinted will be processed to be eligible for all Level 3 opportunities.
Field trip chaperone opportunities will now be classified as Level 2 (not requiring a background check).
To ensure continuous safety, all new volunteers are required to sign a Volunteer Certification Statement. This statement is a legal attestation confirming you have no history of violent felonies, physical/sexual crimes against children, or crimes of moral turpitude.
Want to volunteer? Visit Volunteer FCPS to find and sign up for volunteer opportunities. Contact Volunteers@fcps.edu with any questions.
~Student Services~
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Report Cards
Report cards will be distributed in school to all students on Monday November 10, 2025. Report cards will always be visible in ParentVUE.
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🍞Food for Neighbors
Help Franklin MS and Food for Neighbors, Fight Student Hunger with the Red Bag Program
1 in 4 kids in Northern Virginia faces hunger. Food For Neighbors supports local students by collecting food through the Red Bag Program and distributing it to school pantries.
How it works:
- Request a free Red Bag
- Fill it with listed food items every 2 months
- Leave it outside on collection day — it’ll be picked up!
Learn more about what to donate and how to get involved: Red Bag program click here.
You can also volunteer to collect or sort bags — a great way for students to earn service hours.
Questions? Contact the school’s social worker, Elyse Brunais , or our family liaison, Janet McFadden.
📝 Applications Open Monday, October 20, for Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology
Eighth graders who have an aptitude and passion for STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) are encouraged to apply for admission to the Class of 2030 at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology (TJHSST).
The application will be available Monday, October 20, at 4 p.m. Applications must be started by 4 p.m. Wednesday, November 12, with a submission deadline of 4 p.m. Friday, November 14. Visit the TJHSST registration page for more information, including a schedule of upcoming information sessions at middle schools.
~AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM~
Students should be picked up from the After-School Program no later than 5:00PM. Parents should communicate with your student on their pickup time. Late Buses run Monday-Thursday with a departure time of 4:45pm. On Fridays there are no late buses but parents may pick up their students by 4:35pm on Fridays.
MS Cross Country
Next week Cross Country Liberty Middle School will host the Cross Country Championships on Saturday November 15. Both the Boys and Girls will have exhibition races and championship races. Races begin on Saturday at 8:00am at Liberty MS and will conclude by 11:30am.
Cross Country Practice Schedule
- Wed. November 12 2:30-3:45
- Thurs. November 13 2:30-3:45
Cross Country Meet Schedule
- November 15 at Liberty (MS Championships)
Any questions please reach out to Chris Tippins at WCTippins@fcps.edu.You can also visit the Franklin MS Sports page or at the FCPS MS Sports site for more information.
 ~Franklin Middle School PTA~
Support Franklin's PTA
We're One-Third of the Way to Our Goal!
Welcome back to all our families to another busy school year! We're grateful to everyone who has already joined the PTA this year! So far, we're only about one-third of the way to meeting our membership goal. Your membership dollars go directly back into supporting our students, teachers, and classrooms by covering a variety of costs from classroom resources and teacher appreciation to student enrichment opportunities and more.
While we anticipated membership numbers might dip compared to last year, we're hopeful that families who are able can help close the gap. In addition to the standard $25 membership, please consider subscribing to the $50, $75, or $100 levels. Every extra contribution makes a big difference and helps reduce the need for heavier fundraisers later in the school year. Click here to register for membership, and please try to do so as soon as possible.
A reminder to returning Franklin families and awareness for our new families--for details and links on information and resources you'll need as your children progress through Franklin, visit and subscribe to our PT School Board and follow the Franklin MS PTA Facebook page.
~Helpful Information~
FRANKLIN MIDDLE SCHOOL PROCEDURES 2025-2026
Welcome! Whether you are making the transition to middle school or returning for 8th grade, please review the following procedures to ensure that all students are safe and accounted for each school day and to minimize disruption of classroom instructional time.
Phones
Franklin Middle School has an “off and away” policy for student phones in classrooms, hallways, bathrooms, and locker rooms. Phones must be turned off and put in a backpack or locker for the duration of the school day (7:30 am - 2:15 pm).
Early Dismissal
The attendance line is NOT to be used to request early dismissal. To minimize disruptions to the classroom learning environment, please have your student bring a note to the main office detailing the student name, date, and time you will pick up your student and the reason for the early dismissal. A pass will be issued to your student to be released from class at the designated time. Any adult picking up a student must provide a photo ID and be listed as an emergency care contact.
Absences and/or Late Arrivals
Absences and late arrivals should be reported by 9:00 am using any of the following methods.
- Attendance line: 703-904-5151
- Online attendance form on the FMS website
- Through ParentVue submission
Forgotten Items
Please do not drop off forgotten items, including lunches, as we cannot guarantee they will get to the student’s classroom. Exceptions include prescription glasses, hearing aids, medication, etc.
Bus Transportation
In support of student safety and accountability, bus riders are to get on and off at their assigned FCPS bus stop. If the need arises, a one-time pass can be issued to ride a different bus as long as a written note is provided to the school by the parent/guardian of each student. *Notes are to be turned into the main office by 7:30 AM the day of the request. Emails, calls and text messages are not accepted.
Clinic
Students should not use their phones to call home if they are not feeling well. They should get a pass from their teacher and report directly to the clinic.
Pre-Arranged Absences (3 or more days)
Pre-arranged absences must be approved in advance. Please complete the Request for Prearranged Absence Form/Middle and High School (found on the FCPS website) and turn in to the main office at least one week before the scheduled absence.
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📱 Download the New FCPS Mobile App!
The FCPS mobile app offers a customized platform to help keep families connected and informed, directly from their smartphones. You can download the Fairfax County Public Schools mobile app by going to the Apple App Store or Google Play Store and searching for “FCPS.”
With the app you can:
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Stay up-to-date: Get the latest news from FCPS.
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View school calendars: See events, activities, holidays, and early dismissals.
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Check school menus: See what’s for lunch and breakfast today, tomorrow, or next week.
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Tap to contact: Quickly call attendance lines or email school staff.
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Access key links: Jump to ParentVUE, Schoology, and the FCPS website in one tap.
Users can access updates and content without having to sign in, making it easy for everyone to stay informed.
Learn more about the new mobile app, including feedback from parents TeAndra Nelson and Roy Dykes.
Impact of Federal Shutdown on Local Community
Fairfax County is home to around 80,000 federal employees and thousands of federal contractors. Its Federal Workforce Resource Hub is intended to help navigate current and future issues for residents, government employees, active military/veterans, contractors, nonprofits and businesses who may be affected by actions, changes, or disruptions to federal services or employment.Community Resources for Families in NeedThrough partnerships with community-based organizations and other Fairfax County agencies, Fairfax County Coordinated Services Planning (CSP) provides information, referrals, and advocacy to help individuals connect with services, including: basic needs (food, shelter, clothing), financial assistance, health care services, and referrals to services and resources.
Visit the CSP website or call 703-222-0880 for assistance.
How to Access or Donate Food to Those in NeedView the Emergency Food Access Providers webpage to see where to access food or donate to your local food bank.
🩹 Immunization Events for FCPS Students
FCPS, in partnership with Inspire Health Alliance, will be providing school-required immunizations and optional flu shots for all FCPS students with no out-of-pocket costs. Immunization clinics will take place from 3 to 6:30 p.m. at Willow Oaks Administrative Center on:
- Tuesday, November 18
- Wednesday, November 19
- Thursday, November 20
A clinic will also take place at Frost Middle School on Saturday, November 15, from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Additional dates will be made available throughout the school year.
Participation is voluntary. Parents or guardians may schedule an appointment for their student. Learn more about immunization resources.
Tutoring Resources for Families
Some families may be looking for additional resources to help support their child’s academic success. The FCPS Family Resource Center (FRC) maintains a list of FCPS employees who hold a valid Virginia teaching credential and who are available to hire as tutors. This list is a resource offered by the FRC, but families are responsible for contacting and working directly with the tutors. This list is not approved by FCPS and is only meant to be a resource to families.
FCPS also partners with Varsity Tutors to provide students and families with extra resources for learning. Every student can take advantage of Varsity Tutors' services, at no cost, including weekly live online classes, on-demand 24/7 chat tutoring, essay editing, and study resources such as recorded content, practice problems, and diagnostic tests.
~Highlights~
Native American Heritage Month
Native American Heritage Month is a time to celebrate rich and diverse cultures, traditions, and histories and to acknowledge the important contributions of Native Americans. It is also a time to raise a general awareness about the unique challenges they have faced both historically and in the present, and the ways in which tribal citizens have worked to conquer these challenges. Learn more about the heritage months, celebrations, and traditions celebrated in FCPS.
~Community Events~
Get ready to party, Cougars! We're having a big Cougar Sendoff event right before the big football game!
When: Friday, November 7th
Time: 4:30 PM to 6:30 PM
Where: Oakton High School Softball Outfield
Come on out and enjoy food trucks, fun games, prizes, awesome music, and face painting! Plus, you can grab a picture with the Cougar Mascot at the photo booth!
Don't forget to Wear Neon!
P.S. A $7 ticket is required to enter the Football Game, which starts right after the sendoff at 7:00 PM.
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